NEW FORTUNES FOR ALLEN JOHNSON
Sun, 2008-02-24 12:19
Allen Johnson was shaking his head in disbelief as he wandered into the post-qualifying press
conference.
How could one of the worst memories of his life a year ago at the NHRA
CSK Nationals, do a 180-degree turn in the positive direction a year
later?
The veteran driver kept the memories of a 2007 DNQ [Did Not Qualify] and the subsequent heart attack of his dad/engine builder Roy Johnson in the back of his mind. They were quickly replaced by the reality of his fourth career pole position during the 2008 event.
“We couldn't do nothing right,” said Johnson. “We got down the track one time I think. We just could not get a hold of the race track. Then the deal with dad happened on Sunday. We said coming back here last week the media asked me, ‘How are you going to feel going back there?” Allen Johnson was shaking his head in disbelief as he wandered into the post-qualifying press
conference.
How could one of the worst memories of his life a year ago at the NHRA
CSK Nationals, do a 180-degree turn in the positive direction a year
later?
The veteran driver kept the memories of a 2007 DNQ [Did Not Qualify] and the subsequent heart attack of his dad/engine builder Roy Johnson in the back of his mind. They were quickly replaced by the reality of his fourth career pole position during the 2008 event.
“We couldn't do nothing right,” said Johnson. “We got down the track one time I think. We just could not get a hold of the race track. Then the deal with dad happened on Sunday. We said coming back here last week the media asked me, ‘How are you going to feel going back there?”
Johnson continued, “I said we're going to do it as a celebration that he's still here with us. The good Lord allowed him to live another year. It all happened for a reason -- last year, let's just do it as a celebration instead of worrying about it.”
“We had a real good mind set because he called the doctor that worked on him last year and lined up an appointment,” said Johnson. “On Wednesday and Thursday all he did was stress tests and all kinds of x-rays and got a really good check up by all the same people -- so it worked out.”
Johnson was on a mission in the final session of qualifying. He knew that top qualifying run was going to require a tremendous effort to overtake the 6.635 elapsed time previously established by Greg Anderson.
Johnson went .002 better than Anderson to claim the prize.
“We knew in the left lane it's got a little bump out there in second and third gear that's really upsetting the Pro Stock cars but we knew if we could move over to the right and make the same run that we made in the left then we had a shot at it,” said Johnson.
Allen
Johnson replaced the memories of a DNQ the subsequent heart attack of
his dad/engine builder Roy Johnson with a fourth career pole position. (Roger Richards)
The veteran driver kept the memories of a 2007 DNQ [Did Not Qualify] and the subsequent heart attack of his dad/engine builder Roy Johnson in the back of his mind. They were quickly replaced by the reality of his fourth career pole position during the 2008 event.
“We couldn't do nothing right,” said Johnson. “We got down the track one time I think. We just could not get a hold of the race track. Then the deal with dad happened on Sunday. We said coming back here last week the media asked me, ‘How are you going to feel going back there?” Allen Johnson was shaking his head in disbelief as he wandered into the post-qualifying press
Allen
Johnson replaced the memories of a DNQ the subsequent heart attack of
his dad/engine builder Roy Johnson with a fourth career pole position. (Roger Richards)
The veteran driver kept the memories of a 2007 DNQ [Did Not Qualify] and the subsequent heart attack of his dad/engine builder Roy Johnson in the back of his mind. They were quickly replaced by the reality of his fourth career pole position during the 2008 event.
“We couldn't do nothing right,” said Johnson. “We got down the track one time I think. We just could not get a hold of the race track. Then the deal with dad happened on Sunday. We said coming back here last week the media asked me, ‘How are you going to feel going back there?”
Johnson continued, “I said we're going to do it as a celebration that he's still here with us. The good Lord allowed him to live another year. It all happened for a reason -- last year, let's just do it as a celebration instead of worrying about it.”
“We had a real good mind set because he called the doctor that worked on him last year and lined up an appointment,” said Johnson. “On Wednesday and Thursday all he did was stress tests and all kinds of x-rays and got a really good check up by all the same people -- so it worked out.”
Johnson was on a mission in the final session of qualifying. He knew that top qualifying run was going to require a tremendous effort to overtake the 6.635 elapsed time previously established by Greg Anderson.
Johnson went .002 better than Anderson to claim the prize.
“We knew in the left lane it's got a little bump out there in second and third gear that's really upsetting the Pro Stock cars but we knew if we could move over to the right and make the same run that we made in the left then we had a shot at it,” said Johnson.
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